Samarth in the News

Samarth-NMDP is committed to sharing its best practices and lessons learned. In this section, you will find our most recent updates from the field, various case studies, research as well as more technical documents related to our programme.

Kathmandu, June 29: A study on the Nepal’s garment industry has found that if the industry can tap even 0.05 per cent of the potential $200 billion US market, readymade garment exports are estimated to exceed $1 billion directly, resulting in the direct employment of 100,000 people.

Media will not be pro-poor unless they prioritise local poverty reduction issues and take ownership of the programmes

Jun 28, 2016: Investigative journalism can be an effective means to reduce poverty if it is embedded as an integral part of the media industry. Yet, the woes of the marginalised are often sidelined in favour of more-striking political news—intense competition and pressure to perform well financially pushes media companies to prioritise attention-grabbing news like politics.

KATHMANDU: The UKaid funded construction of a cantilever pathway and approach trail at a critical crossing along the Budhi Gandaki River in Gorkha district, which is expected to ease journey of northern Gorkha locals and trekkers.

“The construction of the 195-metre steel cantilever pathway, with 55 metres of approach trail, was recently completed along Yaru Bagar of the Budhi Gandaki River in Kerauja VDC of Gorkha district,” the UKaid said in a statement.

Lamjung: Department of Tourism, Samarth-Nepal Market Development Programme and Annapurna Conservation Area Programme have jointly started a field study of the damage caused by last year’s devastating earthquake along the Annapurna Trekking Circuit as part of the government’s initiative to take stock of the loss and to plan reconstruction.

The partnership between the GHT and Yeti Airlines/Tara Air is a reflection of the private sector's support to the GHT and its objectives. Tara Air's new airplane provides improved passenger standards and increased safety specifications that form a real example of the quality of Nepal's new tourism products. The route network of Yeti Airlines/ Tara Air offers tourists access to all the gateways along the GHT.

One of Nepal’s most popular trekking areas has been given the green light by experts, three months after the country was rocked by powerful earthquakes.

The first official report on earthquake-related damage in the Annapurna region has been welcomed by the Nepalese government, as well as trekking companies and development agencies, who labelled it an important step towards the country’s economic recovery.

NEPAL – One of the most popular trekking areas of Nepal has been given the green light by experts three months after powerful earthquakes rocked the country. The first official report on earthquake-related damage in the Annapurna region has been welcomed by the Government of Nepal, trekking companies, and development agencies behind the assessment, who regard it as an important step towards the country’s economic recovery.

One of the most popular trekking areas of Nepal has been given the green light for tourists to return by experts three months after powerful earthquakes rocked the country.

The first official report on earthquake-related damage in the Annapurna region has been welcomed by the Government of Nepal, trekking companies, and development agencies behind the assessment, who regard it as an important step towards the country’s economic recovery.

To support the continued efforts by the Nepal tourism industry to bring in-bound tourism back in business, SAMARTH Nepal Market Development Program (NMDP) organized an interaction program titled the “Turning Point in Tourism” at the hotel Annapurna in Kathmandu. The event was successful in bringing together international tour operators and Nepal tourism operators to discuss how to turn tourism recovery into a reality.

The international tour operators have warned that negative travel advisory notice from various source countries and high insurance charges could dissuade tourists from visiting Nepal.

The statement comes at a time when the government, tourism entrepreneurs and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) — the tourism promotion body set up in public-private partnership model — are gearing up to restore tourist inflow to the level of pre-earthquake days by the beginning of autumn season this year.

As Nepal seeks assurances from international geologists and consultants on its popular trekking routes, especially the Everest and Annapurna regions that attract around 70 per cent of trekkers, the PDNA suggests creating a Safe Trekking System with standards and regulations for the quality of the product and how to manage it.

Nepal could lose more than 300,000 tourists this year as a result of the April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks which forced mass departure of tourists and prompted many to change their travel plans.

Put yourself in the position of an advertiser or communicator working in Nepal. You have a fixed budget and you need to reach as many of Nepal’s 31 million people as possible – of which over 80% live outside the main cities. How can you maximise your reach in the most cost effective way?

In the mid-hills of Nepal, ginger farming is one of the most significant sources of cash income for poor smallholders. The net incomes of farmers involved in ginger cultivation is significantly higher than that in competing crops, such as rice and fresh vegetables. However, over a third of Nepali ginger producers fall below the poverty line, many of whom face both geographic and social exclusion.One of the most significant constraints facing producers relates to disease management – an estimated 50% of ginger farmers in Nepal suffer from disease in their crops.